Tasty Low-Fat Bran Muffins
This is a classic low fat bran muffin, healthy in all the right ways. Low calorie, low fat and high fibre. They’re delicious too and hit the spot when you’re craving something that’s a little sweet.
Low fat bran muffins are true 1960’s diet food.
My mom clipped this recipe for low fat bran muffins out of a magazine back in 1965. It caught her eye because each muffin has only 152 calories. (That would be for a 1960’s-sized muffin, not the meal-sized muffins that are so popular today.)
It’s not all about the calories though. These muffins have a good fibre count, a decent amount of protein, and they’re low fat. Plus they taste delicious.
The recipe is from the days before processed diet food took over. Rather than using artificial food substitutes to drop the calorie count, the creator of this recipe simply reduced the fat content. Simple as that.
My mom makes these as mini muffins and so do I because that’s a better snack size in my house. The calorie count for mini muffins is 101 per muffin (18 muffins/batch).
This is a classic low-fat bran muffin, healthy in all the right ways. They’re delicious too and hit the spot when you’re craving something that’s a little sweet.
Readers tips:
Some readers have replaced the oil in this recipe with applesauce to further reduce the calorie count.
PrintTasty Low Fat Bran Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Muffins & Quick Breads
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ cups natural bran (wheat)
- ¼ cup toasted wheat germ
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 egg
- ½ cup Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 Tbsp oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl mix together dry ingredients. Stir in raisins
- In another bowl combine egg, molasses, milk and oil.
- Add this to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Spoon into prepared muffin tins.
- Bake at 400 F for 20-25 minutes (regular muffins) or 15-18 minutes for mini muffins.
Notes
Recipe doubles well
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 152
- Sugar: 12.6g
- Sodium: 124mg
- Fat: 3.8g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 29.2g
- Fiber: 4.6g
- Protein: 4.4g
- Cholesterol: 16.8mg
We love to spread peanut butter on these low fat bran muffins for a healthy afterschool snack. If you prefer a more substantial muffin take a look at our recipes for blueberry wheat germ muffins or dense and spicy ginger muffins.
Jessica W
I made these today and they were awesome!!! I did make a couple changes due to my low sodium requirement. I used no sodium baking soda, didn’t have raisins so used hemp seeds and added 1 more tablespoon of oil. I will try this again without the extra oil next time. These were moist and delicious!!! Not sweet at all but perfect. The molasses definitely kicks it up a notch‼️
Jacqueline
Sounds good will try some of these additions and substitutions
Dorinda
What kind of bran wheat or oat?
Crosby Molasses
Hi Dorinda,
These are made with wheat bran. I’ll update the recipe to clarify. Thanks for pointing that out.
helen
In those days they made these to cost less,and be good for you.
Bob
Please post actual calorie count, if you say LOW, we need to know how low actually. Please.
Lynn Purdy
Bob, the nutritional information is at the bottom of the recipe.
Jeanne Doucette
I LOVED this recipe…however I did add 2/3 cup soaked flax seed. Instead of the oil, I used apple sauce and instead of the milk I used cashew milk. They are absolutely to die for!!! Thanks Crosby’s!!!
Crosby Molasses
Hi Jeanne, Your version sounds much more interesting than mine!
Lori
I also eliminated the oil and used applesauce instead. When I add this recipe into my program that calculates nutritional value, each muffin comes out at 243 calories and 2 g of fat. That calorie count is much higher than the 50 calories indicated in the original recipe. Any ideas about this?
Crosby Molasses
Hi Lori, My mom found this recipe back in the 1960s so I’m not sure about how calories were calculated. When I did my count (for 12, not the mini muffins in the photo) I got 150 calories per muffin and 132 if I left out the raisins. I did have to do some extra digging for the natural bran and the whole wheat flour because my calorie counter kept using oat bran and unbleached white flour. All that to say, I’m not sure why there is such a discrepancy.
Brenda
Hi,I made these last week for my husband but they turned out extremely dry.Anyone else experience this and what to do to improve them?
Bridget
Hi Brenda, I wonder if you could try baking them for a shorter time (or did you try that?) You could also add an extra Tbsp of oil. Also, because these are low fat they’re not a moist muffin anyway.
Edie
Made the fat-reduced version of these today with 1/4 C applesauce instead of oil plus 2 tablespoons of yogurt and added 2 Tbsp flax meal instead of wheat germ to bran. Mine also has 2 eggs and a tsp of Baking powder. They were delicious. I also substitute mashed banana for extra potassium – also great.
Bridget
Hi Edie,
Wow, your recipe sounds great! I’m going to give it ia try. Thanks for sharing.
mildredtonge
hi i was wondering if you mail me you reciep sound good ..thank you
Crosby Molasses
Absolutely, Mildred, simply send along your postal address
Blanca
Hi Edie,
What do you substitute the banana for?
Thanks 😊
Carmel Anderson
will try them they sound great